Monday, March 31, 2014

Another week has flown by | week 78

Happy Monday again familia!

I hope that your week was great. I love all the updates! Tell all of my old young men's leaders hi for me!!! I am doing great here in Benson. It has been another whirlwind crazy week here, but it has been amazing. We are being blessed ALOT right now. It has been amazing. That is sad to hear about Ronin, I love that dog :(

We have been running around teaching ALOT this week. Our investigators are all progressing and doing great. Like I said before we are being blessed alot.

D who we have been teaching for a while, is doing amazing. She has totally changed in this last week and a half. For a while we were really confused, and frustrated. We almost dropped her as an investigator, but we had one really powerful lesson with her, and since then she has pressed forward and hasn't looked back. She is doing wonderful. We got the word of wisdom issues worked out, and she has a strong testimony of the truthfulness of this work. It has been amazing to see. I am so excited for her. We have seen the spirit really come in and change her heart. She passed her baptismal interview this week, and will be entering the waters of baptism on the 12th of April. I am so excited for her!!

A and his family are also doing wonderful. I am so proud of him. He quit smoking a week ago, and it has been really hard for him. He has been fighting through cravings and anxiety, but he is doing amazing. It is awesome. Him and his family came to church this week again, and loved it. A as well has undergone a huge change. Before he found the gospel he was lost, without much hope. It has been a blessing to be a part of the process with him. We are going to commence the wedding planning this week! We had a really cool experience on Sunday. We went in with him and his wife to the bishop's office to talk about the logistics for a wedding. Alfred briefly explained his process of finding the missionaries etc. and he also talked about his testimony. It was the first time that I heard him talk to someone else about his testimony, and it really touched me to hear it.

A and A are also continuing to progress well. They should be baptized on the 12th as well.

One cool miracle this week. We were looking through our area book, and we were picking out former investigators to go and visit. I picked one, and when we arrived we got there and the lady we met was very emotional. She said that just hours before she had been diagnosed with cancer. She says that the Mormons always show up at her door when she needs help. We talked with her about trials and the purpose's of them. She was very emotional, and we gave her a priesthood blessing. It reminded me once again that god is truly aware of all of his children. He knows what we need, and he always sends help.

We found another family to teach this week that are really interested, so we are also excited to keep teaching them.

We have a really busy week coming up. We are getting a mini missionary this week! Just like the mini mission that I did when I was 16. It should be fun. It is kind of weird to be in the opposite role as my mini mission. I learned alot from doing that, and I think they are awesome. So for 2 days this week we will have him with us. Should be awesome! We have mission leadership council this week as well, and general conference!!

OH HOW I LOVE GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!! I hope that we can each come ready to receive the words of prophets and apostles of God. Think about how amazing it is that we get to sit at the feet of these master teachers and learn about God' will for us at this time!!!! IT IS AWESOME!!! I have been thinking alot about change this week, especially because I have seen it so much in our investigators. Becoming more like the Savior is our eternal goal. The Holy Ghost is a sanctifyer and a perfect teacher. Write down your questions, fears, and doubts before conference and the spirit will teach you exactly what you need. I plan to do it. I am so grateful for these opportunities to step back and learn what the Lord needs me to learn, so I can go forward and do what he needs me to do.

I love you all so much. I think about you often. I pray for you every day. I am happy and well here in AZ. Thank you for all of you support and love. I can never express that enough.

much love

Elder Hughes

PS we are going to get a taste of the wild wild west today! Our zone is going to visit Tombstone! It is a famous tourist attraction here by Benson. It is a super old and infamous western town. Should be fun!